Adjustable roof for haystacks



Aug. 18, 1936. F. N. TILLOTSQN 2,051,230

ADJUSTABLE ROOF FOR HAYSTACKS Filed Aug. 19', 1935 Patented Aug. 18, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ADJUSTABLE ROOF Fen HAYSTACKS Fred N. Tillotson, Battle Creek, Iowa Application August 19, 1935, Serial No. 36,830

7 Claims. (01. 1082) The object of my invention is to provide an adjustable roof for hay stacks of simple, durable and inexpensive construction and which may be readily, quickly and easily erected r dismantled and which, when erected, is firmly and securely braced against all the strains to which devices of. this kindare ordinarily subjected.

More specifically, it is my object to provide a roof of thischaracter in which the roof may be supported in an elevated position while the hay stack is being erected, and then lowered to position-ior resting upon the hay stack regardless of the height to which the'stack is made, and then, when the hay stack shrinks and lowers,

"' the roof will automatically move downward with the hay stack to thereby prevent the entrance of strong winds between the top of the hay stack and the roof, to thereby insure the roof against being blown off of the stack by high winds.

More specifically, it is my object to provide an automatic wedge lock device connected with cables for raising the roof, which Wedge lock device will be inoperative during the upward movement of the roof by the cables butwhich will automatically permit downward movement of the roof and prevent upward movement of the roof when the cables are slack. A further object is to provide improved means for supporting the uprights and for holding them in their upright positions against both outward and inward movement relative to each other when erected, so that the roof may freely move up and down within the area defined by the corner-posts.

My invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the device whereby the objects contemplated areattained, as hereinafter more fully set forth,

pointed out in my claims, and illustrated in the.

accompanying drawing, inwhich:

Figure l shows a top or plan view of a roof embodying my invention.

Figure 2 shows a side elevation of same with the roof supported in an elevated position. The dotted lines'in said figure show two of the supporting posts in a partly elevated position to illustrate the manner in which the posts are mgved to upright positions. 7

Figure 3 shows an enlarged detail'view illustrating the wedge engaging member.

Figure 4 shows an enlarged detail view of the Windlass and ratchet device for elevating the cables.

Figure 5 shows a detail vertical sectional view through a corner of the roof and a portion of the adjacent upright, and illustrating the wedge locking device in locked position to prevent upward: movement of the roof.

Figure 6 shows an enlarged detail side view illustrating the cable supporting pulley at the 5 top of the upright; and

' Figure 7 shows a horizontal sectional view on the line 1-1 of Figure 5.

Referring to the accompanying drawing I have used the reference numeral 10 to indicate gener-. 10 ally a hay stack roof. This has not been illustrated in detail but is preferably made in sections so that it may be easily transported and stored. At each corner of the roof there is a downwardly extending bracket l I, through which is extended a pin l2. This pin is detachably mounted in the bracket and is held in place by small pins 13, or the like, extended through it.

There are four uprights to the supporting roof. Each is preferably made of a metallic I beam I4. I have provided a base for each upright consisting of a fiat member Hi to rest upon the ground and which is secured in position to the ground by means of the stakes I6 which may be driven through openings in the base. The upright memberis pivotally' supported to this base. At the top of each upright is a bracket IT in which a pulley I8 is mounted. There are four of these uprights, and four cables l9 are secured to the upper ends of the uprights so that the movements of the uprights outwardly relative to each other are limited by these cables. Secured to the upper end of each upright are two guy rods 20 extended in opposite directions outwardly away from the roof, and on each guy rod there is a turn buckle 2! for adjusting its length. Each guyrod is provided with a stake 22 driven into the ground. These guy rods may be adjusted by means of the turn buckles to firmly and securely hold each post-in an upright position and in such manner as to prevent inward movement of the upper end of the post, and by this means each post is firmly supported in an upright position.

By this arrangement of the uprights and their connecting cables and the pivoted bases to which the uprights are connected, the device may be erected very readily and easily by first placing two of the uprights with their bases in properly s a ed apar p s t on and s ked t0 the n hen th two. up ts a b e vat to up: right positions and the guy rods staked to the ground and properly adjusted. Then the other two uprights may be erected in the same man? ner, and when thus erected, will all be inde- 5 pendently supported in their positions regardless of the roof.

Mounted upon each upright is awindlass indicated generally by the reference numeral 23 and having a cable 32 fixed to and wound thereon.

The windlass is provided with a ratchet device 25 so that the cable may be held in position when 7 so desired, or the ratchet device may be disconbracket consisting of a plate 26 having a wedge block 2! fixed to its inner surface.

nected to permit the cable to play out freely.

slidingly 'mounted upon each upright is a Two metal 7 Q straps 28 are fixed to this plate 26 and extended around the upright to form a bracket device capa able of freely sliding up and downon the upright.

- [Between the adjacent web of the upright l4 and the plate 26 there is a wedge member; This 'member comprises a frame 29, as shown in Figure 3, with a roller30 at its central portion, and

two I chains 3 [extending upwardly and connected tothe adjacent endof one of the cables 32, which cable is passed overthe pulley l8 and fixed to and wound around the adjacent Windless 23. The plate-26 is also connected to the cable 32 by means of a chain 33,'and this chain, as shown in Figureifi, will be slack when the chains 3| are tight. By this arrangementit is obvious that an upward pullw upon the cable 32 will first raise the frame '29 and its'wedge member 30,"and then if the upward pull is. continued, will raise the plate26. When, however, the cable 32 is slack,

" an upward movement of the plate26 will cause corner of the roof. ,This opening is preferably i made relatively large so, that the pin may have a limited tilting movement relativeto the plate 26.

In practical operation the uprights are erected andheld in upright position in the manner heretofore described, then the roof! may be assembled and restedupon the groundbetween the uprights. When this has been done the pins l2'may be inserted in position and the cables 32 connected to the'chains3l and 33. When this has been done, obviouslytheroof may be moved to an elevated position by winding up the windlasses 23, and after the roof has thus been ele-' 'vated, the hay stack will be formed under it in the ordinary manner. When the hay stack is fully completed or partially completed, the windlasses are operated to: lower therroof until it rests upon the top of the hay stack. When in this position with, the cables 32 slack, the roof may freely descend by gravity so that it cont nue t e ii he t p o t e c r ardless of the amount of'shrinkage of the stack.

Due to the fact that the pins [2 are loosely mounted in the plate 23 the roof may move up wardly and downwardly freely whether it is in a horizontal position'or notfand it may be tilted to a considerable angle ineither direction with out binding!" a t 1 In the event ofa high wind or tornado, or the like, the roof will at'all times-be in position resting firmly upon the top'of the stack so that wind cannot enter-under the roof to blow it away. In

addition to this, however, in the event-that any corner o'fthe roof should be movedupwardly by adjacent cable, said'chain being of such length the wind a slight distance, the wedge 21 will then engage the adjacent wedge member 30 and thereby securely lock this particular corner of the roof against further upward movement,'so that for all practical purposes the roof isfirmly held in position resting on top of the stack and in such position that highwinds cannot enter under the roof or have a tendency to blow it away from the stack. V

I claim as my invention: a t r 1. An adjustable roof for 'hay stacks and the like, comprising a roof, a series of supporting uprights, means for, elevating the roof relative to the supports, and means for slidingly connecting the roof withthe uprights, comprising a member slidingly mounted on an upright and pivotally connected to the roof and a wedge 'device 'between the roof' and uprightshaped to permit free downward movement of the, roof and to'prevent upward movement of the roof.

2. An adjustable roof -for,hay? stacks and the 7 like, comprising a roof, uprights at thelcorner's thereof, a bracket slidingly mountedon each upright, means for pivotally and detachably connecting the roof corners .to said brackets, acable for each bracket to pull it upwardly, and a. wedge device for each ,bracket'for permitting the bracket to move freely downwardly andto wedgingly lock' the bracket against upward fmovee merit relative to theadjacent upright. 1 3O 3. An adjustable roof' for hay stacksandnthe' like, comprising a roof,cuprights at'the corners thereof, a bracket slidingly mountedon' each up.-

eright, means for pivotally and detachably con necting the roof corners to said brackets, a cable for, each bracket to pull it upwardly, and a wedge device for each bracketfor-permitting the bracket to movefreely downwardly andpto. wedge ingly lock the bracket against upward unovement. relative to the adjacent upright, a partof said wedge device being connected ,tojtheadja: cent cable and designed to, release, the wedge dee I vice when the cable is drawn upwardly t0 there-iby permit the upward movement of the bracket,

14. An adjustable roof forhay stacks and the like, comprising a. roof, uprightsflat the corners thereof, a bracketslidingly mounted on each upri ht and a n a op inp s de; a p n fixed to the adjacent corner of; the roof'and ex: tended into said opening, a wedge carried by the bracket, a Vwedgeengaging member to co act' with said wedge, a cableattached to each of said brackets for elevating it; and a chain for con-c necting each wedge engaging member with the that when the cable is moved upwardly it will first elevate the wedge engaging memberand move it upwardly to inoperative 1 position and then upon further upward movement of the cable the bracketiwill be elevated, said partsfbeing 5o 7 so arranged that when the cableiis slack the said bracket and its wedge member may freely I move downwardly.

5. In a roof for: hay stacks and the likefthe combination of aroof, four uprights'at the cor; ners of the roof, cables connected to the upper ends of the uprights to limit their outward movement relative to each othen a base to" which the lower end of each upright is pivoted, means for securing each base in position, and twoguy rods 7 for each upright to limit'theirinward movement relative to each other. V a a r 6. An adjustable roof for hay stacks andthe like; comprising acrooL'a supporting upright for the, roof,; meansfor elevating the roof relative" to the support and for operativeIy disconnecting the roof from the elevating means so that it may move downwardly by gravity, and an automatic device associated with said roof and upright and shaped to permit free downward movement of the roof and to prevent upward movement thereof when the elevating means is operatively disconnected from the roof.

7. An adjustable roof for hay stacks and the m like, comprising a roof, a supporting upright for the roof, means for elevating the roof relative to the support and for operatively disconnecting the roof from the elevating means so that it may move downwardly by gravity, and an automatic wedge device associated with said roof and upright and shaped to permit free downward movement of the roof and to prevent upward movement thereof when the elevating means is operatively disconnected from the roof.

FRED N. 'I'ILLOTSON. 

